Continuous press



y 8, 1957 H. s. MESSING 2,793,583

CONTINUOUS PRESS Filed March 1, 1954 s Sheets-Shet 1 53 m INVENTOR.

" I HJALMAAZ -5. Mess/us L v BY v 4 mm W N May 28, 1957 H. s. MESSING 2,793,583

commons PRESS Filed March 1, 1954 a Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. hum/144g s. MESS/N6 y 8, 1957 H. s. MESSING 2,793,583

CONTINUOUS PRESS Filed March 1, 1954 s Shets-Sheet s V INVENTOR.

, HJALMAIQ, s. MESS/N6 BY MW MFM United States Patent CONTINUOUS PRESS Hjalmar S. Messing, New York, N. Y., assignor to Davenport Machine & Foundry C0,, Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application March 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,391

6 Claims. (Cl. IMF-45) This invention relates to presses, and more particularly to the continuous type of press shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,146,158, issued to Charles F. Scherer on February 7, 1939. In that patent is shown a press provided with a pair of oppositely inclined rotating discs which act upon the material fed between them.

It is an object of the present invention to provide certain improvements in a press of the above type, and which improvements will tend to make the press more elfective and useful for the treatment of specific materials, such as wood pulp, food stuffs and the like.

In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide means by which one of the discs is capable of limited axial movement, and to provide improved biasing means accommodating movement of said one disc away from the other disc when the load between the discs exceeds a predetermined pressure.

It is another object of the invention to provide means by which the feed of material into the press will be interrupted in order to prevent clogging within the disc housing when the load upon the press exceeds a predetermined pressure between the discs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press of the type indicated including improved means for adjusting the normal spacing between the discs and for adjusting the biasing force on said one disc.

Still a further object is to support the pressure discs entirely on individual shafts of such construction as to effectively withstand the outward thrust of the lower portions of the discs in the final pressing operation, and otherwise absorb the stresses exerted thereby and thus eliminate the need of special thrust rollers of the type described in the aforementioned prior patent.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a press constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, and to which has been added means for controlling the spacing between the discs;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a part of the press shown in Fig. 2 with a modified pressure control and feed control mechanism substituted for the space controlling means shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an end View of the press, looking from the left of Fig. 1, and showing the supply hopper and feeding means.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the supporting base of the press, and which can be mounted upon legs or other suitable supporting elements, portions of which are shown at 2. The base 1 is provided with elevated parts indicated respectively at 3 and 4, upon each of which is mounted a bearing housing 5. Mounted in each of the housings 5 is a sleeve 6 at one end of which is provided the roller bearing 7 and a closure plate 7a. Fitted in the opposite end of the sleeve 6 is a cap 8,

2,793,583 Patented May 28, 1957 provided with a boss 9 in which a roller bearing 10 is fitted. A thrust bearing 11 is also disposed within the sleeve 6, and is maintained in position against the end of the boss 9 by means of the bushing 12 which surrounds the stepped shaft 13 that extends through the bearings 7, 10 and 11 and on which the rotatable pressure disc 14 is mounted. Lubrication for the bearings 7, 10 and 11 is provided through the plug fitting 15, threaded into the housing 5, and allowing the entry of the lubrication into the interior of the sleeve 6 by means of the aperture 17 to reach the bearings. The plug 15 also acts to prevent rotative movement of the sleeve 6 within the housing 5. Axial movement of the sleeve relative to shaft 13 and relative to the housing 5 is prevented by the locking rings 55.

On the outer end of the shaft 13 is provided a sprocket 18, driven by a chain 19, extending around a sprocket 20, fitted on the shaft 20a of a reduction gear box 21 coupled to an electric motor 22, supported on a platform 23 secured to flanges 24 formed on the two housings 5.

As will be noted in Fig. l, the shaft 13 is disposed at a slight angle to horizontal, preferably, but not necessarily, at an angle of approximately two to two-andone-half degrees, and as shown in Fig. 2, the shaft is also disposed at a slight angle to vertical for example of about three-and-one-half degrees. Thus, the rotated pressure disc 14, and its companion disc 25 to be described, have opposing faces which move toward and away from each other being oppositely inclined, the minimum distance between the discs being at the bottom or lower portion of the press.

The pressure disc 25 is similar in all respects to the companion disc 14 and each of these discs consists primarily in a spider-like structure of circular shape fixed on its shaft. Disc 14 is secured on the shaft 13 and is thus rotated by the drive means just described, and consisting primarily of the sprockets 18 and 20, chain 19 connecting the same, and the motor and gear drive for the sprocket 20. Thus, disc 14 is the driven disc. The disc 25 is secured on a shaft 26 similar in all respects to the shaft 13 except that the shaft 26 preferably is not positively driven but is free to remain stationary or to rotate under the pressure of material or stock interposed between it and the disc 14. In addition, the shaft 26, and thus the disc 25 carried by it, has a limited axial movement under pressure of the material. The axial movement is attained by allowing the sleeve 6 around the shaft 26 to slide axially within the housing 5 to a limited extent. It will be noted also, that the shaft 26 need not be provided with a projecting end. For example, as shown the outer end of the sleeve 6 in which the said shaft is contained is closed in one embodiment of the invention by the closure plate 27.

It will be understood that because of the angular inclination of the shafts 13 and 26, as well as of the discs 14 and 25, the shafts are subjected to considerable thrust and stress in the final stage of the pressing operation. To support the discs entirely on their respective shafts and thus reduce the number of moving parts which may require lubrication and cleaning, it becomes essential to make the shafts sufliciently strong to absorb these stresses. For this reason, stepped shafts have been suggested which have their greatest diameter adjacent the discs where they are subjected to the greatest stress. This type of shaft construction is also particularly suitable for the accommodation of thrust bearings which may be lubricated from a single point.

The opposing faces of each of the two discs 14 and 25 are covered by segmental perforated plates 28, secured to discs by the bolts 29, and the outer surfaces of the plates 28 are covered by screening 30 or other foraminous material.

aromas The two discs 14 and are rotative within a housing 50 of cylindrical formation to closely fit the discs, said housing including the annular wall 31 and the end walls 32 and 33. The end wall 32 is apertured as at 34 to permit of the passage of the shaft 13, while the wall 33 is similarly apertured at 35 to permit of the passage of the shaft 26.

In order to make the discs 14 and 25 and the other parts within the housing 50 readily accessible for cleaning and other purposes, the walls 32 and 33 may be removably mounted on the annular wall 31 in any conventional mannet, and if desired they may be made of transparent ma terial so as to render the operation of the parts within the housing visible from the outside.

Each of the shafts 13 and 26 is provided with a pair of drip flanges 36 arranged on opposite sides of the end wall of the housing through which the shaft extends. Thus, any of the liquid expressed out of the material being compressed between the discs 14 and 25, and tending to flow along either of the shafts, will be caused to be deflected, or be caused to drip downwardly into the housing of the discs or else be directed thereinto by means of the gutter 37, located below the shaft 13 or 26. The liquid expressed out of the material can drain out of the housing through apertures 33 formed in the annular wall 31, and run down through the drain pipe 39 to a suitable catch receptacle.

Extending vertically downward from the upper portion of the annular wall of the housing is a segmental plate 40 which extends down between the two pressure discs 14 and 25, and the opposite ends of the plate 40 are connected to walls 41 and 42. The wall 41 forms a part of the inlet passage 43 through which the material is fed into the press. One of the walls indicated at 44 of the outlet passage 45 is secured to the wall 42. Thus, the space between the inlet and outlet passages, as defined by the structure composed of plate 40 and walls 41 and 42, is blocked off from the entry of material. As will be apparent from Fig. 3, the material entering through the inlet passage 43 passes down between the discs and is compressed progressively between the same, to a point close to the discharge, the material then emerging from outlet 45. To prevent entry of the material between the opposing ends of the shafts 13 and 26, a collar 4-6 is provided and the same fits in a groove provided in the hubs of discs 14 and 25 and also in the center part of the screen plate 30 and around the ends of the shafts 13 and 26. The collar 46 is supported by the plate 40 and walls 41 and 42.

In Fig. 5 the press is shown connected to the hopper 56 into which the material is delivered from a trough 57 in which a feed screw 58' is operative. Rotative within the hopper 56 is a vertical feed screw 58 having its lower end operative in a contracted cylindrical outlet 59 in which force feeding occurs to deliver the material down through the inlet [passage 43' and into the press to be compressed by the discs 14 and 25. The vertical feed screw 58 is rotated by a gear reducer 60 driven from electric motor 61 which drives the gear reducer by means of the belt 62 extending about pulleys provided on the motor shaft and gear reducer shaft respectively.

A means for controlling the operation of the motor 61 and hence the feed of material from the hopper 56 into the press, is shown in Fig. 4 wherein it will be observed that one end of the sleeve 6 around the shaft 26 is provided with lugs 63 wherein a lever 64 is pivoted at 65 near one of its ends. At said end of the lever a link 66 is pivoted at 67, the opposite end of the link 6 6'being pivoted at 68 to a cross bar or bracket 69 having its ends mounted upon rods 70 secured in bosses '71 formed on the housing 5. The cross bar 69 is adjustable on the rods 70 and can be fixed in any required position thereon by means of the nuts 72.

At its upper end the lever 64 is pivoted at 73 to a block 74 fitted on a rod or spring bolt '75. The rod has a square or non-round head 76 at one end by means of which it is threadably adjustable through a square nut 77 movable along the calibrated surface 78 of a bracket 79 on the housing 5. A coil spring 80 surrounds the rod 75 and is interposed between the nut 77 and the tubular part 81 of the bracket 79. Adjustable through the lever 64 is a stop screw 82.

Secured to and projecting from the lever 64 at a point between its pivots 65 and 73, is a switch finger 83 which has an inclined end 84 operative against a roller 85 rotatively carried at the end of a pivotal switch arm 86.

' The switch arm 86 and roller 85 carried thereby constitute parts of a switch 87 in circuit to motor 61 and thus controlling operation of the motor. This arrangement is such that when material within the press builds up between the discs 14 and 25 for any reason, to an undesired extent, the pressure against the disc 25 will move said disc and the shaft 26 thereof axially, thus also moving the sleeve 6 located around said shaft, in the same direc- *tion. This will cause movement of lever 64 toward the right in Fig. 4- and with such movement the switch finger 83 will open the switch 87 whereby the circuit to the motor 61 will be broken and rotation of the feed screw 58 discontinued. The feed screw 58 will remain out of operation until pressure of the material between the discs 14 and 25 is reduced, whereupon lever 64, moving to the left, will release the switch finger 83 on the switch arm 86 and permit the switch to close and again set the motor 61 in operation. The switch 87 can also be arranged so that a greater movement of the switch finger, such as might be caused by an obstruction entering between the discs 14 and 25, will cause the motor 22 to be also shut off and thus rotation of the disc 14 discontinued. By adjustment of the nut 77 on the rod 75 as indicated by the calibrations at 78 the mechanism can be caused to function to open the switch 87 when any predetermined pressure between the discs is reached.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the spacing between the discs 14 and 25 is controlled by the means disclosed at the right. This spacing control has been omitted from the structure of Fig. 1. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that a lever 89 is centrally pivoted at 90 between the lugs 91 on the end of the sleeve 6. The end 92 of the lever 89 bears against the head 93 of a springpressed rod 94 which is slidable through a boss 95 at the end of a bar or bracket 96, mounted on'the rods 70 extending from the housing 5. A coil spring 97 is interposed between the head 93 of the rod 94 and the boss 95 and the pressure of the spring is regulated by one or more nuts 98 threadably received on the rod 94. At the opposite end of the lever 89 is provided a boss 99 through which a rod 100 is slidable, said rod being also slidable through the boss 101 provided at the second end of the bar or bracket 96. A head 102 is provided on one end of the rod 100, and a coil spring 103 surrounds the rod between the head 102 and the boss 101. It will be apparent that by adjustment of the nut 104 on the rod 100, the pressure of the spring 103 can be regulated and thus the resistance of the spring 103 to movement of lever 89 controlled. The lever 89 is connected to the bar or bracket 96 by a link 107 which has one end pivotally connected at 108 to bracket 96 and the other end pivoted at 109 to lever 89. This arrangement is such that the axially movable disc 25 can be positioned at a selected distance from the rotative disc 14 while retaining the desired angular relation thereto. As shown in Figure 2, the disc 25 is in its innermost position for the shown setting of the spacing control, engagernent of the bosses 99 and 101 preventing further inward movement of the disc. To vary the limit of inward movement of the disc 25, normally to dispose the same closer to or further away from the disc 14, the bracket 96 is adjustable, outwardly and inwardly, respectively, on the rods 70, adjustment being accomplished by means of the nuts 72. At the same time, in all settings of the spacing control, when extraordinary pressure builds up between the discs, the disc 25 can move away from the disc 14 against the pressure of the spring arrangement just described until the pressure between the discs is reduced to an extent where it is overcome by the pressure of the springs 97 and 103.

From the foregoing, the operation of the structure will be readily understood. The material to be treated by the press is delivered into the same from hopper 56 through the inlet passage 43 to descend between the two discs 14 and 25. The angular inclination of the opposing faces of the two discs is such that the discs come progressively closer to one another as they near the discharge outlet and thus the material is compressed progressively from its entry into the press until it reaches a point just ahead of its discharge, whereupon the discs move away from one another and the material is discharged to descend into the trough 105 in which a screw conveyor 106 is operative to carry the material away. The water or other liquid in the material is extracted by the pressure of the discs and it passes through the perforated screens 30 and apertured plates 28 to pass out through the apertures 38 to descend into the outlet pipe 39. Any water or other liquid tending to follow the shafts 13 and 26 will be deflected by the drip flanges 36 and will be captured by the lower portion of the housing and enter into the outlet pipe 39. A contact plate 51 of arcuate form provides contact with the peripheries of the discs for a portion of their revolutions. The feed of the material between the discs will be controlled by the means heretofore described.

Having described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a press of the character described, a housing, a pair of discs having confronting faces arranged at an angle to one another and defining a pressing zone therebetween within said housing, means for rotating at least one of the discs, the other disc being axially movable, a shaft on the latter disc, a pivoted lever at the end of said shaft, compression springs operative at the opposite ends of the lever for normally biasing said confronting faces toward one another, rods around which said springs extend, a bracket having guiding means at its opposite ends for the rods, and means threadably operative on the rods for independently regulating the pressures exerted by the springs on the opposite ends of the lever.

2. In a press of the characer described, a frame, a housing on said frame, a pair of discs arranged in spaced facial relation in said housing, each of said discs having a shaft extending therefrom first bearing means rotatably supporting one of said shafts on said frame and retaining said one shaft against axial movement with respect to said housing, second bearing means rotatably and slidably supporting the other of said shafts on said frame to accommodate inward and outward axial movement of said shaft whereby the disc on said other shaft is mounted for movement axially toward and away from the disc on said one shaft, and means for regulating the spacing between said discs, said means including a supporting member adjustably mounted on said frame adjacent the end of said other shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said member and operatively associated with said other shaft adjacent the end thereof, abutment means offset from the axis of said other shaft and operatively associated with said lever to define a limit of inward movement of said other shaft toward said one shaft, said member and abutment means being adjustable to vary the normal position of the disc on said other shaft with respect to the disc on said one shaft, yieldable means ofiset from the axis of said other shaft and operatively associated with said lever for urging said other shaft to the limit of inward movement thereof and accommodating outward movement thereof, and means for adjusting the force of said yieldable means.

3. In a press of the character described, a frame, a housing on said frame, a pair of discs arranged in facial relation in said housing, each of said discs having a supporting shaft extending therefrom, first bearing means rotatably supporting one of said shafts on said frame and retaining said one shaft against axial movement with respect to said housing, second bearing means supporting the other of said shafts on said frame, said second bearing means including a first bearing element rotatably supporting said other shaft and retaining: said other shaft against axial movement with respect thereto and a second bearing element slidably supporting said first bearing element to accommodate movement of said other shaft and the disc on said other shaft axially toward and away from the disc on said one shaft, and means regulating the axial movement of said other shaft, said regulating means including a supporting member adjustably mounted on said frame adjacent the end of said other shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said member and pivotally connected to said first element of said second bearing means, abutment means offset from the axis of said other shaft and operatively associated with said lever to define an inward limit to shaft movement, spring means offset from the axis of said other shaft and operatively associated with said lever for resiliently biasing said other shaft to said inward limit of movement thereof and means for adjusting said spring means, said spring means accommodating outward movement of said other shaft and the disc thereon upon the occurrence of excess pressure of material received between said discs, said adjusting means accommodating adjustment of said spring means to exert a predetermined pressure on the disc on said other shaft and on the material between said discs, said supporting member and abutment means being adjustable to vary the normal position of the disc on said other shaft with respect to the disc on said one shaft.

4. In a press of the character described, a frame, a housing on said frame, a pair of discs arranged in facial relation in said housing, each of said discs having a supporting shaft, first bearing means rotatably supporting one of said shafts on said frame and retaining said one shaft against axial movement with respect to said frame and said housing, second bearing means supporting the other of said shafts on said frame, said second bearing means including a first bearing element rotatably supporting said other shaft and retaining said other shaft against axial movement with respect thereto and a second bearing element mounted on said frame and slidably supporting said first bearing element to accommodate movement of the disc on said other shaft axially toward and away from the disc on said one shaft, said second element of said second bearing means including studs projecting rearwardly of said other shaft and said first element, and means for regulating the spacing between and relative axial movement of said discs, said means including a supporting member adjustably mounted on said studs rearwardly of said other shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said member between said member and said other shaft and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said first element of said second bearing means, abutment means operatively associated with said lever to define a limit of inward movement of said other toward said one shaft, said supporting member and abutment means being adjustable to vary the normal position of the disc on said other shaft with respect. to the disc on said one shaft, spring means oifset from the axis of said other shaft and engaging one end of said lever for resiliently biasing said other shaft to said inward limit of movement thereof, and means for adjusting said spring means, said spring means accommodating outward movement of said other shaft and the disc thereon upon the occurrence of excess pressure of material received bea 7 tween said discs, said adjusting means accommodating adjustment of said spring'means to exert a predetermined pressure on the disc on said other shaft and on "the material between said discs.

5. In a press of the character described, a frame, a

housing on said frame, a pair of discs arranged in facial relation in said housing, each of said discs having a supporting shaft, first bearing means rotatably supporting one of said shafts on said frame and retaining said one shaft against axial movement with respect to said housing, second bearing means supporting the other of said shafts on said frame, said second bearing means including a first bearing element rotatably supporting said other shaft and retaining said other shaft against axial movement with respect thereto and a second bearing element slidably supporting said first bearing element to accommodate movement of the disc on said other shaft axially toward and away from the disc on said one shaft, and means regulating the axial movement of said other shaft, said regulating means including a supporting member adjustably mounted on said frame adjacent the end of said other shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said member and pivotally connected to said first element of said second bearing means, said lever projecting to opposite sides of said other shaft, and a spring acting upon each end of said lever, said springs being operatively associated with said supporting member and said lever to bias said lever in a direction to urge said other shaft and the disc thereon toward the disc on said one shaft, said springs accommodating movement of the disc on said other shaft away from the disc on said one shaft upon occurrence of excess pressure of material between said discs.

6. In a press of the character described, a frame, a housing on said frame, a pair of discs arranged in facial relation in said housing, feed means for delivering material to said housing and between said discs, each of said discs including a shaft, first bearing means rotatably supporting one of said shafts on said frame and retaining said one shaft against axial movement with respect to said housing, second bearing means supporting the other of said shafts on said frame, said second bearing means including a first bearing element rotatably supporting said other shaft and retaining said other shaft 5: against axial movement with respect thereto and a second bearing element slidably supporting said first bearing element to accommodate movement of the disc on said other shaft axially toward and away from the disc on said one shaft, means regulating the axial movement of said other shaft, said regulating means including a supporting member adjustably mounted on said frame adjacent the end of said other shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said member and pivotally connected to said first element of said second bearing means, and spring means biasing one end of said lever in a direction to move the disc on said other shaft toward the disc on said one shaft, and spring means accommodating axial movement of said other shaft to accommodate movement of said discs away from one another upon occurrence of excess pressure of material between said discs, and remote control means for said feed means mounted on said supporting member and operatively associated with said lever to be actuated in accordance with axial movement of said other shaft, said control means discontinuing operation of said feed means upon occurrence of excess pressure of material between said discs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,739 Wells Aug. 25, 1840 271,161 Treber Jan. 23, 1883 783,428 Golden Feb. 28, 1905 1,331,016 Kruse Feb. 17, 1920 1,365,521 McNeil Jan. 11, 1921 1,762,379 Bates June 10, 1930 2,083,462 Long et al. June 8, 1937 2,146,158 Scherer Feb. 7, 1939 2,249,736 Anderson July 22, 1941 2,494,195 Penton Jan. 10, 1950v 2,646,745 Seltzer July 28, 1953 2,674,396 Peterson Apr. 6, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 109,114 France Aug. 9, 1875 4,338 Great Britain of 1900 633,430 France Oct. 24, 1927 988,607 France May 9, 1951 

